Package-can.



J. F. ADAMS.

PACKAGE CAN.

APPLICATION PILEDMAR. a, 1011.

1,@90,264,, Patented Mar. 17, 1914.

WITNESSES lA/VE/VTOH TTOR/VEVS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES IE. ADAMS, 0F PHILLIPSBURG, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE CANISTERCOMPANY, OF PHILLIPSBURG, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

PACKAGE-CAN.

the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to package cans or receptacles, and particularlyto devices of this class adapted to be carried in the pocket, and foruse as tobacco cans or receptacles, and from which fine tobacco may beshaken or discharged when desired; and the object of my invention is toprovide an improved device of this'class which is comparativelyinexpensive in construction, and simple in operation, and which may beconveniently used for the purpose specified and also for various otherpurposes when desired.

The invention is fully disclosed in the following specification, ofwhich the accompanying drawing forms a part, in which the separate partsof my improvement are designated by suitable reference characters ineach of the views, and in which Figure 1 is a plan view of a package canor receptacle made according to my invention, or the head thereof Fig. 2a cross section of the line 2, 2 of Fig. 1 and onian enlarged scale Fig.3 a section on the line 3, 3 of Fig. 1;- Fig. 4 a perspective view ofthe top portion of the can or receptacle; Fig.5 a view similar to Fig. 1but showing a modification Fig. 6 a section on the line 6, 6 of Fig. 5and on an enlarged scale Fig. 7 a perspective view of a plate valvewhich I employ 5 and Fig. 8 a View similar to Fig. 5 but showing theparts in a different position.

In the practice of my invention as shown in the drawing, I provide apackage can or receptacle of the class specified, comprising a bodyportion a which may be composed either of metal or fibrous material, andthe body portion of said can or receptacle is oblong in horizontalsection, the top and bottom end portions thereof being semicircular atthe ends thereof, and the sides thereof being parallel.

The top a? of my improved can or receptacle is preferably composed ofsheet metal Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 9, 1911.

Patented Mar. 17, 1914. Serial No. 613,406.

or may be composed of fibrous material, and 1s provided with a raisedU-shaped flange or rim a which opens downwardly and into which the topend of the body portlon a fits, as clearly shown inFigs. 2, 3 and 6.

The top a of the can or receptacle is provided in one edge portionthereof, and in one end portion thereof, as shown in the drawing, with afilling and discharging opening or aperture a and the body portion ofsaid top a is provided with a sectional longitudinal slot or opening awhich communicates with the opening a. I also provide a plate valve 6which, in the form of construction shown is mounted on the bottom of thetop a of the can or receptacle and which is of the same form as the saidtop a. and of the same transversewidth, but the length of which is lessthan that of the said top.

The plate valve is provided centrally with a longitudinal raised portionb having latera-lly directed wings b the ends of which are bentdownwardly as at b, in the form of construction shown, and the laterallydirected wings b are provided with raised knobs or projections b. Thelaterally directed Wings 1) are cut from the material of the plate valve6 and in the operation of cutting out said wings they are also raisedand formed as shown and described, and the central raised portion 1) andwings 6 form keepers for holding the plate valve 1) in connection withthe top a and also form a handle device or devices, whereby said platevalve may be moved longitudinally of the cap a of the can by pressingthe thumb or a finger thereon and moving said thumb or finger in thedesired direction, which operation results in opening or closing theaperture or opening a. The cutting out of the Wings 2') from the platevalve 6 forms openings 6 in said plate valve which openings are closedby the top or cap a of the-can as will be readily understood and asshown in the drawings.

In my improvement the sliding plate valve 1) is connected with the topa? of the can or receptacle before said top is placed on or secured tosaid can or receptacle. and in doing this all that is necessary is toplace the plate valve on the bottom of the head, with said parts in therelative position shown in Fig. 8, and in this operation the raised partb and wings Z2 pass upwardly through the aperture or opening a and thenby moving the plate valve longitudinally and to the right,'the oppositeside edges a of the longitudinal slot or opening a will pass under thewings I) and the plate valve will be locked to the top a of the can andmay be moved longitudinally thereof so as to open or close the apertureor opening a by pressure applied to the raised part or partsconsistingof the central raised portion 6 wings b and knobs or projections b ofthe plate valve.

The location of the discharge opening in the can head or top and thelocation of the keepers on the valve body are such that at the moment ofassemblin the parts, when the keepers are passed t rough the filling anddischarging opening in the head, a portion of the valve will projectbeyond the edge of the can head.

When the plate valve has been connected with the top a of the body ofthe can or receptacle as shown and described, and said top a connectedwith or secured to the body of the can or receptacle, as shown in Figs.2,

3 and 6, the said plate valve in addition to' being held in properposition and prevented from lateral movement by the raised central part1)? thereof, is also-held in correct position and prevented from lateralmovement by the side walls of the body of the can. The transversedimensions of said plate valve are approximately the same as the innertransverse dimensions of the body portion of the can. The lateral Wallsof the can also prevent the valve from being moved far. enough to againbring the keepers in register with the filling and discharging aperture,and hence the valve and can head cannot be accidentally or intentionallyseparated without the removal of the can head from the canbody. It willalso be seen that the outer side flange a of the U-shapedrima is flushwith the bottom surface of the top a of the can or does not extend belowthe said bottom surface, and this construction enables the late valve bto be placed on the bottom sur ace of the top a of the can as shown inFig. 8, so as to permit the raised portion and keepers of said platevalve to pass upwardly through the aperture or opening a and said platevalve to be moved longitudinally in such manner as to permit the sidewalls or edges a of the slot or opening a to pass under the wings b Myinvention is not limited to the exact form of the raised parts b 6 and bof the plate valve herein shown and described and these parts may beformed in many ways, all that is necessary in this connection being toprovide the said plate valve with a raised part vor parts which willpass up through the aperture or opening a in the top a of the can whenthe plate valve is placed in can or receptacle,

noeaaea position as shown in Fig. 8, said raised part or parts beingprovided with laterally directed members adapted to slide over the sidewalls or flanges a of the slot or opening a when said plate valve ismoved longitudinally and by means of which the said plate valve islocked or secured to the top a and by which said plate valve may beoperated as hereinbefore described.

Although I have shown the part 05 of the or the top thereof, as oblongin form and as formed in one end portion thereof, my invention is notlimitedto this shape of a top a of the can or receptacle, nor to a canthat is oblong in plan or horizontal section, the main feature of myinvention being the provision in-the top of a can or receptacle of theclass described, of an aperture or opening similar to the aperture oropening a and an opening or slot a communicating therewith, whereby theplate valve b may be connected with said top by hand as herein shown anddescribed, and any suitable means may be employed for preventing alateral or twisting movement of said p ate valve.

In Fig. 5 I have shown a modification in which the top a of the can isprovided, parallel with the slot a with longitudinally raised beads awhich serve'to stiffen the top a and render the same more rigid and thisalso facilitates the connection of the plate valve 6 with said top andrenders the operation of said plate valve more effectual. It will alsobe understood that my invention is not limited to placing the platevalve b on the bottom surface or side of the top a as it will beapparent that the parts may be so arranged that the said plate valve maybe placed on the top side or surface of the top or head of a can withoutdeparting from the spirit of my invention or sacrificing its advantages.

The applicant is aware that cans for like purposes have been heretoforemade with an opening in the top of the same corresponding with theopening a" of applicants structure and with a plate valve for closingthe same.- These plate valves have been secured to the top of the can bykeepers passing through a slot in the top, which slot extendslongitudinally of the top but doe-s not communicate with the opening. Inmaking cans in this manner the keepers for holding the valve to the topare formed so as to pass through the slot and are thereafter bent orclenched down over the longitudinal sides ofthe guide slot. Aside fromthe fact that this method of uniting the plate valve to the top of thecan is more difficult and adds to the cost of the can, as it requires anadditional tool or machine to effect the bending" the aperture oropening a the slot with so short a bend and with such force thattheedges of the slot are pinched between the keepers and the main body of vthe valve in such a Way asto seriously impede the movement of the valve.The edges of the slot are in no instance entirely smooth so that in thebending or clenching operation the keepers are pressed into theineqdalities of the edges and the valve is often held from any movementWhatever except a force greater than the pressing of the thumb orfingers be-applied thereto. These defects have heretofore been the causeof much complaint by the users of such cans.

The applicant is also aware of the fact that cans for powder,'condimentsand the like, have been heretofore constructed, with slots in the topplate of the can to engage bent lugsprojecting from the upper face of asliding valve plate, said slots being provided with notchescorresponding to the shape of the-lugs so that when the valve plate ismoved to bring said notches into alinement or register with said lugs,the valve plate may be easily lifted or removed from the top. In suchdevices however, it would be possible for the valve plate to bedisengaged from the head of the can while the can head is applied to thecan, and thus fall on the contents, and in such devices, therefore, aresilient spring or the like is provided to retain the valve plate in acentral position, so that the apertures in the valve will be out ofregister with those in the can head and the retaining lugs out ofregister with the notched portions of the slots. The applicant by hisconstruction avoids these objections as the plate valve and its keepersare completed before the valve is united to the top or head of the can,consequently the machines for forming the platevalve and the keepers canbe and are arranged to so uniformly shape the keepers that they will notpinch the edges of the slot but will permit them to pass freely by orover the same. In the applicants device, also, the discharge opening inthe can head and the keepers on the valve 'plate are so located on theirrespective parts that a portion of the valve will project beyond theedge of the can head at the moment when the keepers are passed throughsaid filling and discharging opening in the head in the act ofassembling so that when the can head has been applied to the can, theplate valve cannot be moved far enough to again bring the kec 'iers inregister with the discharge opening and consequently the valve and canhead can never be separated without removing the can head from the canbody.

The slot a in the top communicating with the filling and dischargeopening is an important feature of this invention as it enables theapplicant to complete the plate valve and its, keeper before uniting itwith the head and thereby to produce a valved can that will work moreuniformly and with greater satisfaction to the user than. thoseheretofore employed. It further enables him to make the head of the canand the plate valve therefore complete putting them together, therebygreatly lessening the cost of the can. The plate valve and its keeperscan thus be made ready for uniting with the head and for use therewithat one operation. The operation of bending or clenching the keepers inthe earlier forms of such cans is entirely omitted.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a can or receptacle of the class de scribed, the combination witha head pro vided with a filling and discharging opening and a guidingslot communicating therewith, of a plate valve for engaging one face ofsaid can head and provided with keepers projecting above the face of thevalve, for 'engaging the opposite face of the can head, said keepersbeing of such size as to be capable of being passed through said fillingand discharging opening and having a part for engaging and moving insaid slot, whereby said head and plate valve an be separately completedand thereafter assembled, said opening and said keepers being so locatedon their respective parts, that a portion of the valve will projectbeyond the edge of the can head at the moment when the keepers arepassed through said filling and discharging opening in the head, in theact of assembling.

2. In a can or receptacle of the class described, having a head providedwith a filling and discharging opening and a guide slot of less widththan said opening. communicating directly therewith, of a plate valvefor engaging one face of said head, provided with a projecting portionfor loosely engaging said slot and keepers extending therefromconstructed to engage the 4 opposite face of said head at a distancefrom. the edge of said slot, said keepers being of such slze asto becapable of being passed through said filling and discharging opening,whereby said head and plate valve may be separately completed andthereafter assembled, said opening and said keepers being so located ontheir respective parts that a portion of the valve will extend beyondthe edgeof the can head at the moment when the keepers are passedthrough the said opening, in the act of assembling.

3. A can or receptacle of the class described, said can or receptaclebeing provided with a head having a raised U-shaped rim which opensdownwardly and is adapted to receive one end of the body of the can orreceptacle, and the outer side flange of which does not extendperceptibly below the file bottom surface of said head, said-head beingprovided adjacent to one edge thereof with a filling'and dischargeopening, and

' a plate valve slidably mounted on the'bottom of said head and providedwith a raised part adapted to be passed upwardly through the filling anddischarge opening 1n the operation of assembling said parts.

4. A can or receptacle of the class described, said can or receptaclebeing provided with a head having a raised 'U-shaped rim which opensdownwardly and is adapted to receive one end of thebody of the can orreceptacle, and the outer side flange of which does not extendperceptibly below the bottom surface of said head, said head beingprovided adjacent to-One edge thereof with a filling and dischargeopening, and a plate valve slidably mounted on the bottom of said headand provided with a raised part adapted to be passed upwardly throughthe filling and discharge opening in the operation of assembling saidparts, and havin means for locking the plate valve and head togetherwhen said plate valve is moved longitudinally of said head.

5. A can or receptacle of the class described, said can or receptaclebeing provided with a head having a raised U-shaped rim which opensdownwardly and is adapted to receive one end of the body of the can orreceptacle and the outer side flange of Which is approximately flushwith the bottom surface of said head, said head being provided withafilling and discharge opening and a guide slot communicating therewith,a plate valve slidably mounted on the bottom of said head and providedwith keepers which are adapted to be passed upwardly through. the fillinand discharge opening in the act of assem ling said parts.

6. A can or receptacle of the class described, said can or receptaclebein vided with a head having a raised U-s aped rim which opensdownwardly and is adapted to receive one end of the body of the can orreceptacle and the outer side flange of which pro-- is approximatelyflushwith the bottom surface of said head, said head being provided witha fillingand discharge opening and a guide slot communicating therewith,a plate valve slidably mounted on the bottom oi said head and providedwith keepers which are adapted to be passed upwardly through the fillinganddischarge opening in the act of assembling said parts, said keepersbeing also-adapted to move longitudinally through said guide slot and tooverlap the side walls thereof and serving to hold said plate valve inconnection with said head and as a handle for moving said plate valve,the movement of said plate valve in one direction being limited by thebody of the'can or receptacle.

7. A package can or receptacle of the class described, said can orreceptacle being provided with a head in one edge portion of which is anopening and in the central portion of which is a guide slot whichcommunicates with said opening, and a sliding plate valve mounted on thebottom of said head and provided with a keeper adapted to pass upwardlythrough said opening and to move longitudinally through said slot, saidkeeper being composed of parts which overlap the side walls or flangesof said slot and hold said plate valve in osition and serve as a handlefor moving t e same, and sa1d head being also provided with a raisedU-shaped rim which opens downwardly and is adapted to receive one end ofthe body of the can or receptacle and the outer flange or side of whichdoes not extend below said head, and the movement of the valve in onedirection being limited by the body of the can or receptacle.

In testimony that I claim the foregomg as my, invention 1 have signed myname in presence of the subscribing witnesses this 3rd day of March,1911.

JAMES F. ADAMS. Witnesses: BESSIE A. BUSH,

JAMES VAN BILLIARD.

